The Gazette's Face of 2007 winner Tamzin Cummings, Laura Diamond and Sabina Mohamad, all from South Shields, and Katie Dodds from Cleadon, were in the running for beauty title.

But 22-year-old model Sophie Gradon, from Ponteland, picked up first place.

Runners-up in the Tyne Tees Models-run competition were Faye Scope, 22, from Northumberland Park, and Annabel Dobson, 20, also from Ponteland.

Tyne Tees Models' boss Lesley Lister said: "All of the girls were completely stunning and we had a great mix of judges. The competition could have gone so many ways.

"Laura, Sabina and Katie were all beautiful last night, and I'm gobsmacked Tamzin wasn't placed.

"Sophie was the favourite and she had plenty of confidence, which I think is what the judges saw in her.

"It was fantastic to see everyone's confidence grow and see them up there strutting their stuff and working the crowd.

"It was wonderful to see all the girls go from strength to strength, and at the end I think I had a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat for every one of them.

"It was an amazing night and we raised quite a few thousand for charity."

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